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30 October 2012

I love a luxurious crocodile accessory as much as the next gal... Maybe more. Crafted into a fine handbag or sumptuous pair of shoes, this distinctive leather feels sensuous and exotic, (two of my favorite flavors).

So imagine my glee when I discovered mock croc in a bathroom line! This brand new series of bathroom furniture from Topex Hardware came into my in-box last week, and I just couldn’t resist sharing it with you!

The series is called the Armadi® Art Aqua Collection and comes in Dark and Light Crocodile. (Boy, would I love to see red, black and a few other shades!) Here’s another tasty tidbit: these sexy sets also come complete with hardware, countertops, sinks and mirror.

In addition to the vanities, there are also coordinating storage and medicine cabinets, (sold separately).

For the Leather collection, Topex uses a leatherette similar to the one you'll find in nicer cars. The entire collection is scratch-resistant, waterproof and humidity resistant, making it suitable for even busy bathrooms. In other words, you don’t need to limit it to powder room use, though it would look sensational in that setting. I can definitely see specifying a pair of these for a modern master suite.

Even the cabinet interiors are water-resistant and – cool factor, here – lined with faux leather, too. The glides on these one- and two-drawer vanities open and close with silent, soft-close technology, (which is a sweet, sleep-friendly feature for an en suite bath).

About Topex HardwareThese fab furnishings are brought to market by a new, unlikely player. Topex Hardware is an international company providing high-end decorative hardware products, including Swarovski Crystal bath accessories. (Love those knobs!) I consider this debut series a great expansion of a quality brand and hope they continue to croc on, bringing even more colors to market.

The Facts Specifications: Available sizes: 24-, 28-, 36-, and 42-inch sizes Price: Range from $3,185 for a 24" vanity with one drawer to $4,025 for 36" two-drawer vanity. Warranty: Five year limited warranty.

23 October 2012

My first book, New Kitchen Ideas That Work, (Taunton Press, 2012) is currently available for pre-order on Amazon.com and will hit store shelves the first week of December. (You know all of those kitchen books at the front of your neighborhood Home Depot and Lowe’s store? Mine will be among them!)

New Kitchen Ideas That Work - Look for it at a Home Depot or Lowe's near you(Photo: Taunton Press)

Here are some Sensible Style tips that you can find handsomely illustrated and explained in this full-sized, full-color volume. Layout enhancements

It’s much more affordable to improve an existing layout than it is to change it entirely. Moving vents, electrical and plumbing often require permits, demolition and skilled trades persons. You can increase your storage potential, improve your appliance performance and update your style, all while keeping everything in its current place.

Fixture enhancements Do you have a builder grade kitchen sink and faucet? These are fairly easy to upgrade, unless your sink is under-mounted in stone tops. As so many older homes still have laminate counters, there’s a good chance you have those, too, and can easily upgrade your fixtures.

16 October 2012

I love patterns in decor: Animal prints, florals, stripes, paisleys, checks and, of course, plaids.
My own home is full of patterned elements, but it’s rare that I get to design them into client projects. This is not because my clientele is resistant, but because you seldom find patterns in the kind of built-in elements I typically specify. Well, that just changed. Big time. Thank you, Sara Baldwin and New Ravenna Mosaics. (New Ravenna happens to be one of my favorite tile companies, too, so their latest release was a double-header for me!)

About the Collection Sara’s new Plaid and Gingham Collection is comprised of five classic designs -- Rory, Hamish, Bonnie, Conner, and McIntyre -- all inspired by her Scottish ancestors and rendered in jewel glass and natural stone mosaics. Each of the five designs was created by hand-cutting and assembling the individual pieces into mosaics. They are then customized for every installation.

About the Tile After being assembled, the tessarae, (individual pieces), are held together with clear tape. The mosaic is cut like a jigsaw puzzle with each section numbered. When it arrives at the destination, the tile setter applies it to the surface and then grouts it in place. This creates a seamless design, one of the hallmarks of a mosaic.
In glass, the mosaics can be used for any interior vertical surface application. In stone, the mosaics can be applied to floors and walls, indoors or out.

About Sara Baldwin and New Ravenna Mosaics The mosaics are hand-crafted in Virginia, where Sara grew up, established her company and trained a team of more than 100 artisans in the ancient art of mosaic. In the process, she has provided job training, economic development and employment in her local community. More than 200 Sara Baldwin designs can be found in tile showrooms throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and Dubai. More than likely, one or more of those designs will find their way into my next “forever” home, too. Named for the epicenter of Italian-Byzantine tile work, New Ravenna Mosaics are sold through exclusive designer showrooms across the country and internationally. The company also provides design services and on-site installation supervision.

09 October 2012

I thought this slightly edited (by me) info from Bosch's PR pro was rather amusing, so I thought I'd share it with my Gold Notes readers, especially the married and co-habitating ones! (Thanks, Heather!) I'm also going to share it with my relatives who insist on wasting water pre-rinsing. *** Bosch recently launched a survey that found that while infidelity and financials are frequently cited causes, a new culprit is creating tumultuous relationships in homes across the country—the dishwasher. In fact, the study found that more than 40% of Americans fight about loading the dishwasher. Is loading utensils into a dishwasher becoming a knife through the heart of your marriage? Is the bond between you and your mate disintegrating faster than a plastic container on the bottom of a dishwasher? The top five reasons men and women fight about loading the dishwasher are listed below.

No fights on this front... This Bosch 800 Series ultra-quiet dishwasher is the one I want next!

61% fight over whether dishes should be pre-rinsed or notNearly two thirds of all men and women cited this issue as their leading cause for argument, proving the pre-rinse, rinse debate to be a universal annoyance. The truth is that you should not pre-rinse as the detergent needs to cling to food to avoid scratching your dishes. 41% clash about separating dishes or cramming as much as possible to tackle a larger load

Perhaps a case of Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, Women (48%) are more likely to fight about doubling together dishes than men (33%). 39% argue over placing sharp knives point down or point up Out of the group of women who were concerned with this issue, 43% argue about whether knives should be placed point up or down, compared to 34% of males. Using safety as your guide, the final say is to load knives point down for safety, while forks and spoons can be placed either handle up or down. [JG: I vote for forks down for the same safety reasons.] A third rack can separate utensils to make it safer and easier to clean, load and unload. 34% insist on placing cups on the top rack and plates on the bottom rack while their mate believe it’s every dish for themselves

The biggest division in the dishwasher deliberation comes in the form of organization: nearly one third (32%) of all females who fight about loading the dishwasher insist that cups and plates not mix. Like any good relationship where each person needs their space, each dish should be separated by a dishwasher’s tines. Often, couples can keep the peace by splitting up large loads of dishes into smaller loads. A half load option tackles smaller loads so dirty dishes don’t sit in the dishwasher. 30% debate about placing plastic containers on the top rack to prevent a major plastic meltdown, or placing containers wherever space is available You may think that loading the dishwasher could smooth over a fight, but your efforts could have the opposite effect if your dishes are ruined in the process. If destroying an entire collection of plastic storage containers has plagued your marriage, Bosch dishwashers feature a concealed flow-through water heating element to prevent plastic containers from dissolving, no matter where they are placed. [JG: I left this specific "commercial" in because I thought it was worth noting.]The survey also revealed that almost four out of ten men (38%) admit to finding excuses for getting out of loading the dishwasher altogether. Perhaps a tactic for avoiding the dreaded dishwasher dispute, the most common excuses included deferring the cleanup because they cooked the meal and demand chore equality (16%), blatantly admitting to being too lazy to clean the dishes (12%), and feeling as though their time is too important to be spent loading the dishwasher (10%).***FYI, I've specified more Bosch dishwashers than I can count... And they've won scads of awards, so I'd consider them a legitimate authority on this topic. Wouldn't you? Furthermore, I'd like to dedicate this post to my lovely stepdaughter, Megan, whose dishwasher loading and unloading skills were beyond reproach and are greatly missed now that she's at college and I'm 2500 miles away, doing that chore myself.

02 October 2012

I'm writing this on a Friday evening. I talk to my favorite guy -- my 83-year-old father -- every Friday afternoon after the stock market closes. (He still day trades daily!) We talk about what he's up to, what the market is doing and what I've got going on. I look forward to these conversations every week. Today, we talked about his house, which he has on the market in San Francisco. (Anyone want to buy a lovingly-restored Painted Lady?)

This got me thinking about the spaces (and gear) men enjoy that you or your guy might, too.

My architectural advisor (and BFF) Dean Larkin, AIA, tipped me off years ago to the sex appeal of a great garage. I don't recall the exact wording he used but a penthouse for your Porsche was the impression I came away from that conversation with.

Most of the guys I know love watching movies and sports on big TVs. And sprawling comfortably while they do it. Here's a space they might enjoy if (a) the sofa fabric was stain resistant so they didn't have to worry about spilling beer or food on it, (b) there were some trays around to set glasses, bottles and snacks on, (c) there was a fridge nearby to keep the drinks chilled and (d) a bathroom next door.

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The kitchen photo behind the Gold Notes heading is of a Miton 700 Series kitchen from Italy. If you're interested in Italian cabinets for your home or clients' homes, please email me today at jamie@jgkitchens.com or call (619) 796-2217.